Farming 101.....

Being at University I got used to taking a lot of 101 subjects in First year, and so thanks to an idea from Michael over at "The Farmers Way of Life" Blog (Link: http://farmerswayoflife.blogspot.com/), I thought I too would come up with a 101 Guide to Farming, feel free to pitch in any thoughts and suggestions, I'd be happy to add them......

Farming 101

1. No matter how dry the grass looks, wearing your new suede RM Williams shoes across it is never a good idea - Generally it's a lot wetter than it looks.
2. Never let the Dachshund steal you boots and leave them for you to collect on the other side of the lawn- Especially if it's winter, -4 and you've just had a frost set.
3. No matter how small the mob looks, always pack a spare pair of overalls when you are preg testing the heifers- By the second one a strategically placed tail and gloved hand will result in a very messy and destroyed shirt.
4. Cow crap can, does and will bounce of any surface- Concrete, dirt and mud: Learned this all to easily at dairy placement.
5. Gumboots are the equivalent of water-ski's/ice skates on a wet concrete walkway when you're chasing after that one stubborn heifer- Again lesson learned the hard way on dairy prac, Degree of difficulty - 7, Timing - 10 and Execution - 8. Lesson Learned: Always pack a spare pair of overalls/clothes.
6. Patience is truly a virtue
7. A soak in Napysan will remove any agricultural stain from cattle crap to grease.
8. Anything smaller than 80kg is a microorganism - Learned from a cattle lecturer.
9. Electric fences will ark, do not assume that because you are wearing gloves they won't.
10. Do not sit on the fence in the foal yard - the cheeky little buggers will bite.
11. The gate to the feed shed might look like Fort Knox but give it time and the brood mare will find a way to get in.
12. The house cat can turn the laptop on when it wants something warm to sleep on.
13. A hanging role of wire makes for an amazing replacement antenna for the radio. - Wonderful reception.
14. No matter how clean and tidy it looks the dust from the shed will always come back and rest on a strategically placed iPod - Never a good thing.
15. When the ladder won't reach then the bucket on the tractor generally will.
16. The mulberry tree next to the stallion paddock is never a good thing for white rugs to be around.
17. There is not a problem that: Bailing Twine, Gaffa Tape, WD-40 or a 10cm piece of plain wire won't fix (select appropriate, see graphic below)
18. To a cat, bookwork & assignments is nothing but a distraction or toy.
19. The only freak wind gusts to hit only occur when you are halfway down the back paddock only to realize you have left the office windows open.
20. To a horse a flex tub is the greatest toy around.
21. If you can't remove a stubborn steel picket, the combi bucket on the tractor is always a valid option.
22. If the road to town is flooded then a tractor is a valid way to get into town for a beer - I have seen this, I kid you not.
23. The gate on the hayshed presents a great challenge to the cattle & horses, one which they will readily accept and find a way to win.
24. Mulching the front gardens with scrap hay is never a good thing if you have cattle that like exploring.
25. Horses don't prune, they readily mulch.

For another great read, try The Farmers Way of Life: Golden Rules of Farming Parts 1-5 (http://farmerswayoflife.blogspot.com/2011/09/golden-rules-of-farming-part-5.html)

 Source: Facebook- Dodgy Technicians